Missile transfer car



May 16, 1967 A. R. WILHELM MISSILE TRANSFER CAR 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed March 30, 1965 d n 8 8 3 no HEISQHH INVENTOR ANDREW R W/LHELM.

ATTYS.

May 16, 1967 A. R. WILHELM MISSILE TRANSFER CAR 2 Sheets-Sheet. 2

Filed March 30, 1965 INVENTOR. ANDREW R. W/LHELM.

United States Patent 3,319,908 MISSILE TRANSFER CAR Andrew R. Wiihelm, Eiltridge, Md., assignor, by mesne assignments, to the United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Navy Filed Mar. 30, 1965, Ser. No. 444,093 7 Claims. (Cl. 24821) This invention relates to missile transfer cars useful for handling missiles in shipboard launching systems for example, and more particularly to improved transfer cars for transporting missiles or missile sections from storage to a launching apparatus for mating to other missile sections or to a launching rail or the like.

It is a principal object of this invention to provide an improved missile transfer car of the type comprising an undercarriage and a missile section supporting platform which is movable with respect to the undercarriage to facilitate alignment of a missile ante section, for example with its booster section during connection therewith.

It is another object of this invention to provide an improved missile transfer car of the foregoing character comprising novel suspension means for the platform which not only permits slight horizontal and vertical movements thereof to facilitate alignment of a missile section with another section, but also transmits linear mating forces from the undercarriage to the missile supporting platform without undesirable friction or binding therebetween.

Another object of this invention is the provision of a missile transfer car wherein the platform suspension means comprises a novel combination and arrangement of compression spring means and elastomeric means which resiliently control movements of the platform While inhibiting undesirable oscillations of the missile load which would hamper alignment procedures.

As another object this invention aims to provide an improved missile transfer car having a movable platform and comprising improved lock-out means for selectively immobilizing the platform with respect to the undercarriage during transfer or alignment operations, the lockout means being operative to immobilize the platform irrespective of its position or attitude with respect to the undercarriage.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of a presently preferred embodiment thereof when read in conjunction with the accompanying sheets of drawings forming a part of this specification, and in which:

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of a missile transfer car embodying the invention with a wall broken away to reveal interior parts and shown in association with portions of a missile and handling system;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken substantially along line 22 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken along line 33 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken along line 44 of FIG. 2; and

FIG. 5 is a view similar to FIG. 1 parts in difierent operative positions.

In the form of the invention illustrated in the drawings and described hereinafter, there is provided a missile transfer car which is generally indicated at 10. Briefly, the car comprises an elongated, horizontally extending undercarriage 11 and a resiliently suspended platform 12 superposed over the undercarriage and adapted to support a missile section 13 for transfer to or from storage and mating with other sections or launching apparatus (not shown). The car 10 is adapted to be moved about as by elevator means or by a mating head 14 which is but showing some shown in engagement with the undercarriage but forms no part of the invention.

The platform v12 comprises an inverted box like structure having a horizontal upper wall 16, parallel side walls 17 and 18, and end 'walls 19 and 20. The bottom of the platform 12 is open to accommodate suspension and lockout means described hereinafter. Extending from the lower edges of end walls 19 and 20 are horizontal flanges 21 and 22 on which are mounted cradle members 23 and 24 for holding the missile section 13 in a horizontal position in longitudinal alignment wtih the car undercarriage 11. The cradle members 23 and 24 are conveniently provided with shipping straps 25 for securing the missile section 13 against displacement therefrom.

In the present example, the center of gravity 28 of the missile section 13 is located nearer the right hand end thereof as viewed in the drawings. The major portion of the weight of the missile section is borne by a plurality of vertical coil compression springs 29 forming part of the mentioned suspension system and arranged in a transverse row beneath the center of gravity 28 of the missile section. The springs 29 are disposed between the platform wall 16 and a suspension mounting member 36 located at one end of the undercarriage 1'1 and forming part thereof. The mounting member 30 presents an upwardly racing seat 30a for the lower ends of the springs 29 which conveniently engage locating pins 31 projecting from the seat. Similarly the upper ends of the springs 29 conveniently engage locating pins 32 projecting from the wall16.

The suspension mounting member 30 is provided with an upwardly extending portion 33 which is inwardly spaced from the end wall 20 of the platform 12. Secured to the mounting member portion 33 and to the end wall 20 of the platform is an elastomeric block 34 of rubber or the like which acts in shear to support a minor portion of the weight of the missile section and platform. The block 34 is preferably bonded to metal plates 34a, 34b which are fixed to the upright portion 33 and end wall 20 by any suitably means. Located at the other end of the undercarriage 11 and forming part thereof is a second suspension mounting member 35 having an upwardly extending portion 36 which is inwardly spaced from the platform end wall 19. Secured to the mounting member portion 36 and the end 'wall 19 is an elastomeric block 37 of rubber or the like which is bonded between mounting plates 37a and 37b and acts in shear to support a remaining minor portion of the weight of the missile section 13 and platform 12.

The elastomeric blocks 34 and 37, acting in shear, permit the missile and platform to (be shifted vertically, laterally and to be rocked about the longitudinal axis of the car 10 with relative ease for manipulating the missile section to align it with a booster, for example, for mating connection thereto. However, because the springs 29 are arranged in a row transversely of the platform, and because the elastomeric blocks 34, 37 extend across the entire width of the undercarriage, the platform is rendered suificiently stable to resist inordinate tipping or rocking movements of the missile. 1

Because of the described arrangement of the elastomeric blocks 34 and 37, longitudinal forces moving the undercarriage 11 will be transmitted to the platform 12- and missile section 13 through at least one of the elastomeric blocks acting in compression. This provides an efiicient transfer of longitudinal forces for eifecting connection between missile sections with freedom from undesirable friction or binding as has been experienced in prior systems utilizing ball and socket joints for transmission of such forces.

The elastomeric blocks 34 and 37 are characterized by a different spring rate from that of the springs 29 in that the elastomeric blocks do not follow Hookes law. For this reason the blocks 34 and 37, particularly the former, tend to damp tendencies of the missile and platform load to oscillate under the influence of the springs 30 during transfer and alignment procedures.

In order to be able to selectively immobilize the platform 12 with respect to the undercarriage 11, during preliminary alignment procedures for example, the car comprises fluid pressure operated lock-out means which is operative irrespective of the position or attitude of the platform. In this regard, it is pointed out that the same transfer car may be utilized to move missile sections varying somewhat in weight and, because of the resilient suspension described above, the platform 12 will be depressed more or less when free to move. Accordingly, it is important to provide lock-out means which can lock the platform in various loaded positions so that the missile section will not shift upon unlocking of the platform after preliminary alignment by elevator means, mating head, or the like and thus make final manual alignment impossible. To this end there are provided two pairs of clamp members 40 which are carried by the undercarriage 11 and are laterally spreadable into frictional engagement with replaceable wear plates 43 mounted on the inner surfaces of the platform walls 17 and 18. In order to insure good frictional engagement the wear plate engaging sur faces of the clamp members 40 are preferably knurled or serrated as shown at 44.

Referring to FIGS. 2 and 3, each clamp member 40 comprises a pair of spaced parallel bolts or bars 45 which are slidable in bored ears 46 of clamp bearing blocks 47 mounted on the undercarriage 11.

As is best illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 5, the clamp members 40 of one pair are interconnected by toggle links 48, 49 while the clamp members 40 of the other pair are interconnected by toggle links 50, 51. The toggle links 48, 49 have their outer ends pivoted at 52 and 53 to their respective clamp members and their inner ends pivoted at 54 to one end of a piston rod 55 of a hydraulic cylinder 56. The cylinder 56 has bases 57 secured to the undercarriage and is connected by conduit means 58 to a source of fluid pressure under control of a suitable control valve (not shown). The toggle links 50, 51 have their outer ends pivoted at 60 and 61 to their respective clamp members 40 and have their inner ends pivoted at 63 to the opposite end of the piston rod 55 of hydraulic cylinder 56.

In FIG. 2 the piston rod 55 of cylinder 56 has been moved to the left as viewed in the drawings, thereby causing the toggle links 4851 to retract the clamp members 40 from engagement with the wear plates 43 on the side walls 17 and 18 so as to release the platform 12 for movement in final manual aligning the missile section 13 for connection with its booster or the like.

When it is desired to immobilize the platform 12, the cylinder 56 is actuated to move the rod 55 to the right, thereby causing the toggle links 48-51 to move the clamp members outwardly into engagement with the wear plates 43 of platform side walls 17 and 18 as illustrated in FIG. 5. The toggle links 4851 are axially yieldable to permit movement thereof into an over-center, locked condition. The axially yieldable character of the links 48-51 may be conveniently provided by the link construction illustrated in FIG. 3. Because the links 4851 are identical in construction, only the links 48 will be described with reference to FIG. 3, it being understood that the description applies as well to the other links.

The link 48 comprises an outer end member 65 which is pivoted at 53 to its clamp member 40, and comprises a reduced shank portion 65a extending from a shoulder 65b. The shank portion 65a is reciprocably received in a bore 66 of an intermediate member 67 having a shank portion 67a extending from a shoulder 67b. The shank portion 67a is reciprocably received in a bore 69 of an end member 70 which pivoted at 54 to an adjustable clevis portion 55a of piston rod 55.

Disposed between shoulder 65b and intermediate member 67 is a spring washer 72, and disposed between shoulder 67b and end member is a spring washer 73. The washers 72, 73 may conveniently be of the Belleville type and serve to resiliently yield to axially compressive loads on the toggle link as the lock-out means is actuated slightly beyond dead center to a self-retaining over-center position.

The cylinder 56 is preferably of the double acting variety, that is to say can drive the piston rod 55 in either direction, so as to provide positive control of the lock-out and releasing actuation.

From the foregoing detailed description it will be appreciated that there has been provided by this invention a missile transfer car having improved platform suspension and lock-out means whereby the handling of missile sections during transfer and alignment procedures is greatly facilitated.

Although the invention has been described in con siderable detail with reference to a specific transfer car embodying the invention, it will be better understood that the invention is not limited thereto, but rather the invention includes all those modifications, adaptations, substitutions and uses as are reasonably embraced by the scope of the claims hereof.

What is claimed is:

1. A missile transfer car comprising:

an elongated, horizontally extending undercarriage;

a platform superposed over said undercarriage;

resilient means disposed between said undercarriage and said platform for resiliently resisting movement-s thereof with respect to said undercarriage; and

lock-out means mounted on one of said platform and said undercarriage and actuable to frictionally resist movement therebetween.

2. A missile transfer car comprising:

an elongated, horizontally extending undercarriage;

a platform superposed over said undercarriage and including depending side walls;

resilient means disposed between said undercarriage and said platform for resiliently resisting movements thereof with respect to said undercarriage; and

fluid pressure actuated lock-out means mounted on said undercarriage and comprising clamp means spreadable into frictional engagement with said side walls of said platform for frictionally preventing movement of said platform with respect to said undercarriage.

3. A missile transfer car as defined in claim 2 and wherein said lock-out means comprises toggle means mounted on said undercarriage, a fluid pressure motor connected to said toggle means for operation thereof, said toggle means being connected to said clamp means and operable to an over-center position for spreading said clamp means into engagement with said side walls.

4. A missile transfer car as defined in claim 3 and wherein said toggle means comprises a plurality of toggle links which are resiliently yieldable to loads axially thereof.

5. A missile transfer car comprising:

an elongated, horizontally extending undercarriage;

said undercarriage comprising upright portions at opposite ends thereof;

a platform superposed over said undercarriage and including side walls, first and second end walls and a top wall, each of said end walls being disposed in horizontally spaced relation to one of said upright portions;

a plurality of compression springs acting between said undercarriage and said top wall to resiliently resist downward movements of said platform;

a first elastomeric block secured to said first end wall and to one of said upright portion, a second elastomeric block secured to said second end wall and to the other of said upright portions, said elastomeric blocks acting in shear to resist lateral vertical and rocking movements of said platform; and

lock-out means for frictionally preventing said movements, said lock-out means being mounted on said undercarriage and comprising first and second pairs of clamp members mounted on said undercarriage for lateral movement toward and from said side Walls, first and second toggle means operable to spread said clamp members of said first and second pairs respectively, and fluid pressure actuated means connected to said toggle means for operation thereof to spread said clamp members into frictional engagement with said side walls.

6. A missile transfer car as defined in claim 5 and wherein said clamp members have knurled wall engaging surfaces and said side walls comprise removable wear plates engageable by said knurled surfaces.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 8/1954 Robinson 248358.1

3/1960 Spaetgens 24821 CLAUDE A. LE ROY, Primary Examiner.

JOHN PETO, Examiner. 

1. A MISSILE TRANSFER CAR COMPRISING: AN ELONGATED, HORIZONTALLY EXTENDING UNDERCARRIAGE; A PLATFORM SUPERPOSED OVER SAID UNDERCARRIAGE; RESILIENT MEANS DISPOSED BETWEEN SAID UNDERCARRIAGE AND SAID PLATFORM FOR RESILIENTLY RESISTING MOVEMENTS THEREOF WITH RESPECT TO SAID UNDERCARRIAGE; AND LOCK-OUT MEANS MOUNTED ON ONE OF SAID PLATFORM AND SAID UNDERCARRIAGE AND ACTUABLE TO FRICTIONALLY RESIST MOVEMENT THEREBETWEEN. 